British Airways Revamps First Class Lounge
First Class passengers flying with British Airways from Heathrow Terminal 5 can now enjoy a more comfortable start to their journey thanks to a newly refurbished First lounge.
Available to First customers and Gold Executive Club members, the luxurious lounge has been furnished with plush new carpets, brand new contemporary and stylish furniture, and re-sanded, waxed and polished extensive oak wood floors. In total, there are 220 new pieces of furniture, ranging from stylish high-backed chairs and occasional tables to dining furniture and relaxing sofas.
Since many passengers travel with phones, tablets and computers, BA has also installed more power outlets than ever before, providing, even more, places for customers to re-charge and power up their personal electronic devices
Troy Warfield, British Airways’ director of customer experience, said: “Our First customers and Gold Executive Club members are used to the very best service and surroundings, both in the air and on the ground.
“The refurbishment of our First lounge at Terminal 5 will ensure they can continue to enjoy fine cuisine, outstanding wines and champagnes and relax in comfort before flying in style to destinations around the world.”
The refurbished First Class lounge is part of the British Airways ‘galleries’ lounge complex, made up of six individual lounges for Club and First customers. Since terminal 5 opened in 2008, the complex has provided a place for premium passengers to relax, dine and freshen up before their flight.
Passengers who would like to enjoy an alcoholic beverage in style before take-off can choose from two opulent bars - ‘The Gold Bar’ and the ‘Champagne Bar’. The Gold Bar is a self-service bar covered in gold leaf and lit by a Swarovski crystal chandelier, stocked with fine wine, champagne and spirits. Meanwhile, the Champagne Bar is surrounded by banquette seating and decorated with a subtle Concorde motif, serving top champagnes, including Castelnau Vintage 2004, Taittinger Brut Rose NV and Taittinger Vintage 2006.
For those who need to send some last minute emails before their flight, the Work and Entertainment Zone provides PCs for customer use, plus there is free high-speed wifi available throughout the lounge for passengers carrying laptops.
If guests are feeling peckish before their journey they can help themselves to a specially prepared hot and cold food in the dining area, which is filled with bespoke furniture for dining alone and in groups.
In addition to the new facilities, a dedicated British Airways customer service team is on hand to help customers to arrange or amend flights and answer any queries. Should customers wish to completely relax, the can also pamper themselves with specially prepared treatments at the Elemis Spa.
It’s not just the First Class lounge that has received an upgrade; British Airways has recently introduced its brand new First cabin on its new fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners too. Recently the airline took delivery of its sixth 787-9, which went into service to Montreal. The new exclusive First cabin features just eight suites designed with customer needs in mind, featuring extra storage space, more comfortable seating, adjustable mood lighting and a larger 23-inch in-flight entertainment screen.
